Western Canadian provinces are set to abandon the seasonal clock change and remain on permanent daylight time from November 1, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from sleep researchers and economists who warn of darker mornings, disrupted biological rhythms and potential setbacks for students and the workforce.
The Science Behind the Clock Change
Ralph Mistlberger, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University and a neuroscientist who has studied circadian rhythms for more than four decades, explained how light influences our internal clocks. “You want cool in the morning. You want warm in the evening or warm in the afternoon,” he said. “And so, it goes from being more bluish in the morning to more reddish in the evenings. Both of those are important because artificial light affects your clock.”
He cautioned that keeping clocks fixed on daylight time will force people to wake up while their bodies still signal sleep. “You’re actually waking up at an earlier circadian phase. Your clock may still be telling your brain and your body that this is the sleep period. It’s not time to wake up yet,” he said. “The same is going to happen in the evening. It’s going to be telling you this is still the wake period, it’s not time to go to bed yet.”
Mistlberger warned that chronic misalignment can lead to what scientists call “social jet lag,” a condition linked to metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even increased rates of cancer and mood disorders.
What the Survey Missed
The governments of British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba announced this year that they would adopt permanent year‑round daylight time, citing a 2019 online survey in which more than 223,000 participants reportedly favoured the change, with 93 % in favour.
Patrick Baylis, an associate professor at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia and co‑author of a recent analysis published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, pointed out a flaw in that consultation. “The survey gave two options, which were comparing a switching regime, which is what we have previously had, to permanent daylight time. But those are the only two options,” Baylis said.
He added that the questionnaire never offered the alternative of permanent standard time, which sleep experts argue aligns better with natural light patterns.
Impacts on Students and the Economy
Baylis highlighted particular concerns for school‑age children. He noted a study of students living near a time‑zone boundary in Florida that found an extra hour of morning sunlight was associated with higher math and reading scores among adolescents. “The analysis said it was ‘comparable in magnitude to meaningful class‑size reductions and largest at puberty when circadian rhythms are most sensitive,’” he explained.
On the economic front, Baylis referenced research showing that a later sunset reduces long‑term earnings by roughly five per cent for each hour of shift. He suggested that policymakers could mitigate adverse effects by introducing more flexible school start times or by helping schools supplement morning light with artificial sources.
Lessons from Other Jurisdictions
The analysis also reviewed international experiments with permanent daylight saving. Russia adopted the measure in 2011 but reversed it three years later after public dissatisfaction grew, especially in northern regions where winter mornings remained dark for extended periods. Critics cited disrupted biological rhythms, morning travel hazards and impaired daily functioning.
Chile’s 2015 shift met a similar fate, being rolled back after complaints about reduced school attendance, scheduling chaos and agricultural disruption.
In 1974 the United States tried a nationwide permanent daylight‑saving policy as an energy‑saving move. The experiment was abandoned within a year following widespread opposition to dark winter mornings, worries about children travelling to school before sunrise, workplace safety concerns and scant evidence of meaningful energy savings.
Why it Matters
Western Canada’s decision to lock the clocks onto daylight time ignores a growing body of evidence that aligning civil time with the sun’s natural schedule protects health, boosts academic performance and sustains economic productivity. Without adjustments such as later school starts or enhanced morning lighting, the region risks exacerbating sleep deprivation, widening achievement gaps among young people and repeating the costly reversals seen elsewhere. Policymakers now face a clear choice: heed the warnings of scientists and economists or proceed with a change that could undermine the well‑being of millions.